Conclusions after two games

[pj]

1. Our defense is far superior to Tennessee's. It will finish the year in the top 10 nationally.
2. Our special teams are excellent.
3. Whitmer is a young QB playing his first games in 1-A. He is going to make mistakes. He is stubborn, locks onto targets and counts on his arm to force the ball in. He needs to grow.
4. Our receivers are young too. Geremy Davis has emerged as our top receiver. Only a sophomore. This tells me we don't have a lot of talent at receiver - that and the lack of separation from defenders. But, it also tells me we can improve rapidly as the young guys get better. Next year will bring a big infusion of talent with Dhameer Bradley and Noel Thomas and, hopefully, Jordan Fuchs.
5. I was expecting a lot more from Ryan Griffin and Mike Smith. Not sure whether it's them and Whitmer learning to play together, or DeLeone's play design, but it seems like we're not getting as much from them as we could.
6. Same with the running game. They need to be catching a lot more short passes. We can't make it so easy to stack the line. And Whitmer has to get better at checking down. His highest-percentage plays were when he went to unlikely targets like Delahunt and Osiecki. Delahunt has to know that he's not in there for yards after the catch and needs to protect the ball.
7. At the moment, McCummings is a "quarterback" who's not allowed to throw a pass. If you can't pass, you need to become a wide receiver or running back. Get started on that transition next game, because the more time we spend losing 2 yards per play on the wildcat, the more time is lost getting the offense settled. If we're going to run the wildcat, 30% of the plays have to be passes.
8. NC State might be the best team on our schedule. South Florida struggled to beat Nevada; Rutgers struggled to beat Tulane which got pummeled by 35 by Tulsa. 11-2 is still within reach if the offense improves.

 

[LRock34]

Nevada is a good football team. South Florida "struggling" as you say to beat a good team on road tells me USF is a good football team. You also didn't mention Ville. NC State is not the best team we will face this year. NC State at home is a game we should win but the offense and offensive coordinator suck!!!

 

[nycscooby]

1. Our defense is far superior to Tennessee's. It will finish the year in the top 10 nationally.
2. Our special teams are excellent.
3. Whitmer is a young QB playing his first games in 1-A. He is going to make mistakes. He is stubborn, locks onto targets and counts on his arm to force the ball in. He needs to grow.
4. Our receivers are young too. Geremy Davis has emerged as our top receiver. Only a sophomore. This tells me we don't have a lot of talent at receiver - that and the lack of separation from defenders. But, it also tells me we can improve rapidly as the young guys get better. Next year will bring a big infusion of talent with Dhameer Bradley and Noel Thomas and, hopefully, Jordan Fuchs.
5. I was expecting a lot more from Ryan Griffin and Mike Smith. Not sure whether it's them and Whitmer learning to play together, or DeLeone's play design, but it seems like we're not getting as much from them as we could.
6. Same with the running game. They need to be catching a lot more short passes. We can't make it so easy to stack the line. And Whitmer has to get better at checking down. His highest-percentage plays were when he went to unlikely targets like Delahunt and Osiecki. Delahunt has to know that he's not in there for yards after the catch and needs to protect the ball.
7. At the moment, McCummings is a "quarterback" who's not allowed to throw a pass. If you can't pass, you need to become a wide receiver or running back. Get started on that transition next game, because the more time we spend losing 2 yards per play on the wildcat, the more time is lost getting the offense settled. If we're going to run the wildcat, 30% of the plays have to be passes.
8. NC State might be the best team on our schedule. South Florida struggled to beat Nevada; Rutgers struggled to beat Tulane which got pummeled by 35 by Tulsa. 11-2 is still within reach if the offense improves.

I am dumbfounded that any reasonable person could predict 11 wins for this team, seriously. The offense isn't in the top 100 nationally and the D isn't Top 10. While playing in the Big East is a blessing because the teams are weak, right now I would say it is far more likely that we are staring at 5 wins rather than double digits. Reality check please.

 

[pj]

We'll see. Nevada is good but preseason they were rated behind NC State and postseason they probably will be too. Louisville -- we'll see how good they are, obviously they are good, but they haven't played a decent team yet, Kentucky was ranked #96 preseason by Pre-Snap Read and Missouri State is FCS.

 

[pj]

I am dumbfounded that any reasonable person could predict 11 wins for this team, seriously. The offense isn't in the top 100 nationally and the D isn't Top 10. While playing in the Big East is a blessing because the teams are weak, right now I would say it is far more likely that we are staring at 5 wins rather than double digits. Reality check please.

I didn't predict 11 wins, I just said it was still possible if the offense improves. If I were predicting, I'd say 7-5 or 8-4. Also, what I meant re the defense was that it would finish in the top 10 statistically. I think it will. After 2 games, we're averaging 158 ypg against. That would place us #8 nationally after week 1: http://content.usatoday.com/sportsdata/football/ncaaf/stats/team-total-defense?loc=interstitialskip.

 

[nycscooby]

I didn't predict 11 wins, I just said it was still possible if the offense improves. If I were predicting, I'd say 7-5 or 8-4. Also, what I meant re the defense was that it would finish in the top 10 statistically. I think it will. After 2 games, we're averaging 158 ypg against. That would place us #8 nationally after week 1: http://content.usatoday.com/sportsdata/football/ncaaf/stats/team-total-defense?loc=interstitialskip.

Honestly, team defense statistics are not telling. For example, you can be a dominant offense, run out to big leads and end up middle of the pack in team defense statistically even though you might have an outstanding D. Conversely, you can play a weak schedule with a decent D and end up better statistically. I think our D is very very good, probably in the top 20 to 30 nationally on the field. They are on the field too long. Our O is not good, factor in the terrible play calling and lack of use of our best assets (Nick, Ryan) and the lack of progress of the O since the HCPP era began and it is hard to see the O improve so much as to even become an average BCS offense. Just look at the difference in the athletes on the O side of the ball between a team like Tennessee and us let alone an Alabama or USC. It is disheartening.

 

[TouchdownHusky]

The wildcat offense is awesome. PP is an offense savant. UConn is QB U. Snapping to #6 in the wildcat is really stupid. You're not fooling anyone with #11 and so you put in #6? Maybe HCPP wants to run a '20s single wing. Just resign Paul.

 

[johnhuskies95]

Honestly, team defense statistics are not telling. For example, you can be a dominant offense, run out to big leads and end up middle of the pack in team defense statistically even though you might have an outstanding D. Conversely, you can play a weak schedule with a decent D and end up better statistically. I think our D is very very good, probably in the top 20 to 30 nationally on the field. They are on the field too long. Our O is not good, factor in the terrible play calling and lack of use of our best assets (Nick, Ryan) and the lack of progress of the O since the HCPP era began and it is hard to see the O improve so much as to even become an average BCS offense. Just look at the difference in the athletes on the O side of the ball between a team like Tennessee and us let alone an Alabama or USC. It is disheartening.

You tell him to get a reality check and then you compare UConn to Tennessee, Alabama, and USC? Really?

 

[nycscooby]

You tell him to get a reality check and then you compare UConn to Tennessee, Alabama, and USC? Really?

I am not the one who claims we have a top 10 defense. You make my point when you scoff at the comparison, I am also not the one claiming 11 wins is a possibility for this team. My point is that many many posters here are unrealistic in their expectations and comparisons. I had hoped that Whitmer would be a marked improvement at QB but it remains to be seen. The fact is that since HCPP and his sidekick have come, our O has taken a step back from the HCRE era. I am especially disappointed that we seem to gave taken a step back from last season's O. But, let's just convince ourselves that we played a juggernaut today so we can feel better.

 

[UconnFamily]

I am dumbfounded that any reasonable person could predict 11 wins for this team, seriously. The offense isn't in the top 100 nationally and the D isn't Top 10. While playing in the Big East is a blessing because the teams are weak, right now I would say it is far more likely that we are staring at 5 wins rather than double digits. Reality check please.

I agree with your opinion on the offense, but the defense won't be top 10? I think we will...

 

[rw005]

I'm giving this team all the way to the end of Buffalo, if we are 3-2 (wins against Maryland or W. Michigan) and counting Buffalo, I will take it and say to myself "We still got a chance to make a neat bowl"

but if we're 2-3, I'll be like eh maybe conference will help us out and get us to a bowl game (crappy bowl I don't care postseason is still postseason to me)

anything less, I'm deeply concerned about PP's future and the team overall, not the program, the team, still a Husky for life!

that's my conclusion.

 

[johnhuskies95]

I am not the one who claims we have a top 10 defense. You make my point when you scoff at the comparison, I am also not the one claiming 11 wins is a possibility for this team. My point is that many many posters here are unrealistic in their expectations and comparisons. I had hoped that Whitmer would be a marked improvement at QB but it remains to be seen. The fact is that since HCPP and his sidekick have come, our O has taken a step back from the HCRE era. I am especially disappointed that we seem to gave taken a step back from last season's O. But, let's just convince ourselves that we played a juggernaut today so we can feel better.

Comparing UConn to Tennessee, Alabama, or USC is just completely nonsensical. We aren't even close to those programs and we never will be, at least not in our lifetimes.

If those guys are your comparison point, go find a new team to root for.

 

[jdb50]

I believe we snapped to M Smith twice in the Wildcat. He was getting his right hip looked at after one of them-hip pointer? First series we bring in Hyppolite, put him at fullback and hand him the ball. Do you think no one on their side didn't see that coming? That kind of we will fool them mentality from Deleone is delusional. Half way through the 3rd Q after the Whitmer pick intended for N Williams (5'9" with 3 defenders around him) many younger fans picked up and left in our section. No way WM is missing this lack of offense which is affecting the fan base and attendance. Coach P has a great D, special teams are good but it's the last part that will cost him his job as it relates to butts in the seats.

 

[nycscooby]

Comparing UConn to Tennessee, Alabama, or USC is just completely nonsensical. We aren't even close to those programs and we never will be, at least not in our lifetimes.

If those guys are your comparison point, go find a new team to root for.

Never mind John. Go read the OP. My point is exactly what you just wrote, when people on here talk about a Top 10 D or a championship caliber D or whatever, it's laughable. We are a 60 to 70 program that was making progress each year under HCRE. Personally, I was satisfied with the pace of improvement each season under Randy. He left. I didn't love the HCPP hire but gave him a pass last season. Let's see what this season brings...

 

[J187Money]

I said this in the prediction thread. They won't score 20 on us and it is up to our offense. The same stands IMO for the rest of our games. Barring injuries, I don't think our D gives up 20 in any game (I will believe it when I see it).

So it is all up to our offense.

Who thought if we held them to 10 we could lose?

 

[SubbaBub]

We are still on schedule for a 4-1 OOC record and most fans here had us losing this game, though hindsight shows it to have been easily winable. Win in Maryland would help a lot. That said, there are obvious problems that need to be fixed. It is difficult to fairly evaluate the entire offense until the O-line meets the most basic expectations, but as others have pointed out the playcalling has been suspect. We never seem to have that schemed play that gives us an easy check down receiver or that bread and butter run play that our 1000-yd running back can pick up 4 yards.

CW shows all the signs of a QB adjusting to a higher level of play, holding the ball to long, late in delivering the ball, and thinking throws that he made at the lower levels will work at this one. He needs more time. Time playing at this level and time in the pocket. Better O-line play would help him and the entire offense tremendously.

 

[J187Money]

After two weeks:

UCONN: #2 in nation in Total Defense (1 rushing/9 passing/3 scoring)
UCONN: #104 in nation in Total Offense (105 rushing/72 passing/93 scoring/119 in interceptions thrown (dead last)/115 in turnovers lost)

Just stop turning the ball over to start...PLEASE!

(and yes, our running game is that bad)